First Time Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement: Nationwide Trends and Outcomes From the Netherlands Heart Registration

In this recent paper, the authors set out to describe trends and outcomes for patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement in the Netherlands. They utilized the Netherlands Heart Registration database to analyze cases completed between 2007 and 2018. A total of 17,142 cases were completed in this time period, with 77.9 percent using a biological prosthesis. Further analysis of patients under 60 years of age showed no difference in ten-year survival between patients undergoing biological versus mechanical prosthesis, but a significant difference in freedom from reintervention, with 90 percent in tissue valves versus 95.9 percent in those receiving a mechanical valve. Overall, the age and risk profile of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement decreased, particularly in those receiving a biological prosthesis.